THE GLADIATOR’S BIGGEST GAMBLE – ONLY ON MĀORI TELEVISION

6 November 2007

When Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes à Court decided to join forces to buy the South Sydney Rugby League Team, no one could have predicted the upheaval that was to come.

SOUTH SYDNEY STORY premieres on Māori Television this Saturday November 10 at 9.00 PM and follows the fortunes of the club under its new owners, and examines the reason for them staging the biggest sporting coup in Australian history.

Produced by Australia’s Beyond Productions, the six-part SOUTH SYDNEY STORY is an extraordinary tale of faith, determination and cold, hard cash.

Nicknamed The Rabbitohs after the street hawkers of the early 20th century, South Sydney is a battler’s football club. They took out 20 premierships up until 1971 – but since then have rated barely a finals spot.

Money became the key issue – most clubs had a Leagues Club to generate cash for the team – but Souths Leagues was in poor shape. Various battles in and out of court saw the club hit rock bottom. Even their die-hard fans had lost faith.

Long time supporter Russell Crowe was in the ‘modernise or die’ camp. Then a fateful meeting with financial whizz Peter Holmes A’Court saw the two of them launch their successful bid.

But the new owners have major problems on their hands. The SOUTH SYDNEY STORY is a fascinating look into the dressing rooms and boardroom of the Rabbitohs as Russell Crowe and Holmes A’Court try to inject a winning ethos and vital sponsorship funds into the franchise.

From firing the cheerleaders to purchasing Armani merchandise, Russell Crowe is a hands-on owner – so ‘hands on’ that he introduces the word ‘love’ to the rugby league lexicon in bizarre team bonding sessions.

Their team song is modernised and players have etiquette lessons – there are early wins, but then the losses begin piling up.

Despite the losses, the bonding continues. Russell introduces a new concept in rugby league – The Book Of Feuds.

Every game is analysed from its historical perspective and presented to the players. But history isn’t being kind to the new-ook Rabbitohs.

They’re losing games they should win. Hopes of a final eight berth are dwindling. And to make it worse, the realities of running a football club are sinking into the new owners.

Retaining, discarding and gaining players become an off-field game to rival the player manoeuverings on-field.

Bottom line is – has the gamble Russell Crowe took when he bought into the team paid off? Can Souths once again call themselves ‘The Pride Of The League’.

Find out when SOUTH SYDNEY STORY premieres on Māori Television on Saturday November 10 at 9.00 PM.

Ends

Sandy Hodge
Kaiwhakaputa (Publicist)
Māori Television
DDI +64 9 539 7009
MOB: +64 21 325 826
EML: sandy.hodge@maoritelevision.com